Description
The mm subsystem in the Linux kernel through 3.2 does not properly enforce the CONFIG_STRICT_DEVMEM protection mechanism, which allows local users to read or write to kernel memory locations in the first megabyte (and bypass slab-allocation access restrictions) via an application that opens the /dev/mem file, related to arch/x86/mm/init.c and drivers/char/mem.c.
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | linux | 4.9.25-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | linux | 4.9.25-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | linux | 4.9.25-1 | — |
| Debian 8 | linux | 3.16.43-2+deb8u3 | DSA-3945-1 |
| Debian 7 | linux | 3.2.93-1 | DLA-1099-1 |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-gcp-6.11 +4 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-riscv +2 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-gke +3 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-gcp +4 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux | 4.4.0-79.100 | USN-3312-1 |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-aws | 4.4.0-1018.27 | USN-3312-1 |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-gke | 4.4.0-1014.14 | USN-3312-1 |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-hwe | 4.10.0-32.36~16.04.1 | USN-3361-1 |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-raspi2 | 4.4.0-1057.64 | USN-3312-1 |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-snapdragon | 4.4.0-1059.63 | USN-3312-1 |
Show 2 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 14.04 LTS | linux | 3.13.0-142.191 | USN-3583-1 |
| Ubuntu 14.04 LTS | linux-lts-xenial | 4.4.0-79.100~14.04.1 | USN-3312-2 |
| Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS | linux-azure-fde-5.15 | No fix yet | — |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 7 | kernel-rt +10 | 3.10.0-693.rt56.617.el7 | RHSA-2017:2077 |
| RHEL 7 | perf +17 | 3.10.0-693.el7 | RHSA-2017:1842 |
| RHEL 6 | perf +16 | 2.6.32-754.el6 | RHSA-2018:1854 |
Show 1 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat MRG 2 | kernel-rt +10 | 1:3.10.0-693.2.1.rt56.585.el6rt | RHSA-2017:2669 |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 12 SP1 | kernel-xen +3 | 3.12.74-60.64.63.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:2908-1 |
| SLES 12 SP1 | kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP1_Update_22 | 1-2.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:2908-1 |
| SLES 12 | kernel-ec2 +4 | 3.12.61-52.101.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:2920-1, SUSE-SU-2017:2908-1 |
| SLES 12 | kgraft-patch-SLE12_Update_28 | 1-8.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:2920-1 |
Show 2 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES for SAP 12 SP1 | kernel-xen +3 | 3.12.74-60.64.63.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:2908-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP1 | kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP1_Update_22 | 1-2.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:2908-1 |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud 6 | kernel-xen +3 | 3.12.74-60.64.63.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:2908-1 |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud 6 | kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP1_Update_22 | 1-2.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:2908-1 |
Oracle Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oracle Linux 7 | dtrace-modules-3.8.13-118.20.1.el6uek | 0.4.5-3.el6 | ELSA-2017-3657 |
| Oracle Linux 7 | dtrace-modules-3.8.13-118.20.1.el7uek | 0.4.5-3.el7 | ELSA-2017-3657 |
| Oracle Linux 7 | kernel-uek +5 | 3.8.13-118.20.1.el7uek | ELSA-2017-3657 |
| Oracle Linux 7 | perf +11 | 3.10.0-693.el7 | ELSA-2017-1842 |
Advisories 14
- RHSA-2018:1854 Red Hat Security Advisory: kernel security and bug fix update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jul 1, 2026
- RHSA-2017:2669 Red Hat Security Advisory: kernel-rt security and bug fix update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jul 1, 2026
- RHSA-2017:2077 Red Hat Security Advisory: kernel-rt security, bug fix, and enhancement update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jul 1, 2026
- RHSA-2017:1842 Red Hat Security Advisory: kernel security, bug fix, and enhancement update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jul 1, 2026
- USN-3361-1 linux-hwe vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Jun 3, 2026
- USN-3583-1 linux vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Apr 22, 2026
- USN-3312-1 linux, linux-aws, linux-gke, linux-raspi2, linux-snapdragon vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Apr 22, 2026
- DSA-3945-1 linux - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- DLA-1099-1 linux - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- USN-3312-2 linux-lts-xenial vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Feb 10, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2017:2908-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2017:2920-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- ELSA-2017-3657 Important: Unbreakable Enterprise kernel security update (Oracle Linux 7) Oracle Linux Security Advisories (ELSA) · Dec 7, 2017
- ELSA-2017-1842 Important: kernel security, bug fix, and enhancement update (Oracle Linux 7) Oracle Linux Security Advisories (ELSA) · Aug 7, 2017
References
- https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/a4866aa812518ed1a37d8ea0c881dc946409de94
- http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=a4866aa812518ed1a37d8ea0c881dc946409de94
- USN-3583-2 vendor-advisory
- RHSA-2017:2669 vendor-advisory
- RHSA-2018:1854 vendor-advisory
- USN-3583-1 vendor-advisory
- DSA-3945 vendor-advisory
- 97690 vdb-entry
- RHSA-2017:2077 vendor-advisory
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2017/04/16/4
- RHSA-2017:1842 vendor-advisory
- https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/tip/tip.git/commit/?id=b8f254aa17f720053054c4ecff3920973a83b9d6